Dragons of Night
by searing light dragon
Summary: Sequel to Guardians of Atlantis. The hybrid Tamli has been frozen in a lake for three years now. What awaits him when he wakes up? And what has become of his bonded partner Finca? COMPLETE
1. Tamli's Return

Tamli lays within the frozen stream that two ice dragonesses froze for him. Those two dragonesses were Ameria and Jamie. Jamie is the second dragon that Tronay Nekita, Tamli's youngest sister, has. Her oldest is Uria, a fire dragon, and her newest is a light dragoness by the name of Arasies. Tamli's own dragon, a light dragoness by the name of Finca, had turned him into a dragon in order to protect him from a dark dragon known as Nira.

In the end of Guardians of Atlantis, Nira had captured Finca and Tamli had Jamie and Ameria freeze him into a stream. Faint light shines from the small stream below as Tronay and Arasies pass by on their way back from seeing her cousin Dartz and his dragoness Narssia. This light catches the two's attention and so Arasies drifts along until she can land on the bank of the icy stream. When she lands, Tronay gets off her back and walks over to the crystalized lake. She sees what she thinks is a white dragon in the crystalized lake and then she realizes that this dragon is her brother, Tamli!

He has been gone for three years now so it makes sense that he would be sealed in this river.

_Is this Tamli? _Arasies asks her owner through their telepathic bond.

_It is Tamli_, Tronay answers as she bends down to gaze into the crystal covering her brother's still frame.

_**What lead you to do this? **_Tronay wonders as Arasies nudges her arm gently.

_What is it? _Tronay asks as she looks up at her Guardian dragon.

_I believe I can melt the ice into tiny pieces to allow us to rescue your brother_, Arasies answers as she places her snout on the tip of the ice.

Tronay stares at her dragon with wonder. Arasies really thinks she can do this by herself? Of course, Arasies is a strong dragoness and has helped her out in some dangerous spots in the past three years and she has been good with Roylezn. Tronay suddenly comes to attention when she hears the crystal that has held her brother for three long years, finally shatter. Arasies pulls Tamli out of the remaining bits of crystal and lays him beside the river bank.

_He will be fine_, Arasies says as soon as she senses Tronay's worry about Tamli's health.

_I am glad to hear that_, Tronay says as her minds finds its way back to Roylezn.

Arasies licks Tamli's right cheek with her barded tongue. He stirs just slightly and Arasies raises her head in hope that he will wake up. He soon quiets down and Arasies lowers her head.

_**He will not awaken today it seems**_, she growls.

Tronay looks at Arasies again.

_Has he awoken yet? _She asks.

_No, not yet_, Arasies answers as her tongue licks Tronay's forehead.

The female chuckles as Arasies stands back and looks at Tronay with her wise yellow eyes. Arasies suddenly has a distant look to her eyes.

_What is wrong Arasies? _Tronay asks.

'_**A war begins, a dragon is born, a healer shall perish, darkness shall fade into the heart of a dragoness, the moon shall turn the tide of battle,' **_Arasies mutters.

Tronay suddenly realizes what is going on with Arasies. She is having her first vision of the future and the events that shall unfold. Her powers have grown slightly to allow her to see into the future, a rare and special gift for light dragons such as Arasies.


	2. Dragon's Rebirth

Tronay and Arasies continue on their way home and finally land at their home as the base of Twilight Forest. Neptune and Roylezn come out to greet the two and Tronay picks up her daughter as soon as Roylezn runs to her.

_Welcome back_, Neptune says as he comes forward and takes Roylezn off her mother.

"It's fine, leave her with me," Tronay says as she hugs her husband.

Neptune looks at Arasies and the white dragon that she has laid down on the grass in front of her.

_This is? _Neptune asks as he nears.

_Tamli Nekita_, Arasies says as she moves back to allow Neptune to get a good look at Tamli's unconscious form.

Neptune turns to his wife, shock clearly on his face.

_You found him? Where? _He asks.

"Arasies and I found Tamli in a frozen stream nearby as we came from visiting Dartz and Narssia," Tronay says as she smiles at her husband's shock at her and Arasies finding Tamli who has been missing for three years.

_I see_, Neptune replies as he steps back and takes Roylezn from her mother.

Roylezn tries to reach out to her mother but is unable to reach her. The young child begins to cry. Tronay sighs and walks over to her daughter.

_Watch Tamli for me Arasies_, Tronay says as she walks over to her child.

_Of course Tronay_, Arasies answers as she moves herself so that she can defend Tamli and herself if need be.

Tamli's eyelids move slightly and Arasies begins to wonder if Tamli might be about to wake up. He isn't though for his eyelids stop moving and Arasies growls in annoyance. This is the second time he has done this in the same day although now it threatens to advance into night as the sky darkens to become a dark blue, not quite black though.

* * *

_Arasies!_

The white dragoness jars awake. Who needs her? She focuses her eyes on the form above her to find out that it is Tronay.

_What is it Tronay? _Arasies asks as she staggers to her feet.

_Tamli is starting to awaken! _Her owner says in glee. _Come quickly!_

Arasies slowly moves after Tronay as she walks over to where Tamli lays. His body twitches and his eyelids flutter.

"Tamli? Can you hear me?" Tronay asks.

The male blinks and he opens his eyelids to reveal his gleaming purple eyes. Tronay and Arasies look at each other in happiness, although Tronay is more excited about this then Arasies is.


	3. A Dragon's Pain

The bright sunlight hurts as the white male opens his purple eyes. He finds himself surrounded by Tronay and her dragoness Arasies, Neptune, and what might be Roylezn.

_**She cannot be that old!** _Tamli thinks.** _She was not that old when I left her last time._**

Tronay steps forward into the dragon's line of sight.

"Welcome back Tamli," she says proudly like she has something to do with it.

_**I doubt that she had anything to do with it**_, Tamli growls under his breath.** _She probably just found me in the river and cracked the ice, I wouldn't put it past my sister to do that._**

_Wrong Tamli, I cracked the ice surrounding you._

The white male looks around for the owner of the telepathic thought that entered his mind.

_Arasies? _He questions.

_Correct_, she answers as she walks into the male's line of sight. _Please stand up if you can, Tronay and the others begin to worry._

_Right_, Tamli growls as he staggers to his feet and nods at his human sister._ I am fine._

Tronay smiles at this and takes Roylezn from her father.

"You remember my daughter as an infant, right?" She asks as she approaches with her child.

_Yes, I do_, Tamli says as lowers his head and stretches it out for Roylezn to touch.

The three year old child laughs as she touches Tamli's warm white cheek.

"She remembers little of you brother," Tronay says as she looks at Tamli.

_I understand. I was not here for three years_, Tamli growls as he pulls away from Roylzen's grasping little hands.

The white male sighs and turns his head away from Tronay. He begins to think about what drove him to freeze himself into a river for three years. Of course he missed Finca and he could try to go after her but yet even if he had done that, he might have not found her.

_Something wrong?_ Arasies asks as she glances at him with worry.

_I am fine_, Tamli says as his eyes turn to face his sister. _Meet me later on today by yourself._

She nods and Tamli starts to walk off.

_Wait! _Arasies growls. _You just woke up from being frozen for three years, stay and rest!_

Tamli's hardened purple eyes turn back to look at Arasies.

_Leave me alone_, he growls before taking to the air.

Tamli lands at the Northern Ridge, drawn by a presence he cannot seem to understand.

**_Why here?_** He wonders as he walks over bits of rock and bones of animals, mostly deer from the surrounding forest. **_It seems that a dragon lives here._**

He stops once he sees the remains of a young deer. Tears come to his eyes as Tamli realizes that Finca might have come here. He growls, he shouldn't be thinking of her right now! With a harsh growl, Tamli turns and leaves the area, unaware of a certain dragon gazing at him with darkened yellow eyes.

**_He is ready_**, the dragon thinks before it vanishes into thin air.

* * *

Tronay finally catches up with her brother at Full Moon Lake. When she arrives he does not seem to realize she is here yet and so he looks up at the coming stars.

"Tamli?" Tronay asks softly.

_Oh Tronay, forgive me for not recognizing that you were here until now_, the white dragon growls as he advances toward his sister.

"That is fine besides you said that you wanted to speak with me alone, correct?" Tronay questions.

_Yes that is right_, Tamli says softly.

"What is wrong?" Tronay asks.

_I fear that Finca . . . that whatever took Finca might have done something to her_, Tamli replies.

"And why do you think that?" Tronay asks.

_I felt her presence in the Northern Ridge before I came here and so I am worried. Her aura didn't feel the same . . ._

"Maybe you are reading too much into this. Maybe she . . ."

_You do not understand do you? The aura of a being cannot change unless they change it themselves_, Tamli growls.

The faint breeze of Full Moon Lake calms as Tronay thinks for a moment.

"I understand what you are saying but it still does not make sense," she says.

_What doesn't make sense? _Tamli roars. _I have told you all I know and you still find it confusing!_

Tronay steps back at her brother's outburst.

_Sorry_, Tamli says. _I should not have let my temper get the better of me. _

"I know what you mean about aura and how it changes," Tronay says as she steps forward to place her hand on Tamli's shoulder. "Because after you were sealed in the ice I gained the power to control my own aura."

Tamli stares at his sister in shock.

_You never told me of this_, he growls. _So why now?_

Tronay holds up her right hand and soon a ball of spinning purple energy is resting in her palm.

"There was little time to explain while Arasies and Neptune were there with Roylzen," she answers.

_I see_, Tamli growls as his sister curls up her hand to return the aura to within her body.

"But now with you back, I can tell them about my new power," Tronay comments as she reaches out to stroke Tamli's left shoulder.

The male turns away and lowers his eyes from his sister's gaze.

_You cannot because I will not be staying with you for much longer_, Tamli growls. _I intend to find Finca!_


	4. Nira's Chance

Meanwhile, Finca stands watching the full moon as it seems to hang over Full Moon years have made a difference to the white dragoness and for Finca, these long years have taken their toil on a long time of staring up at the moon, Finca blinks her eyes and focuses on two distant shapes in the east. One is a white dragon and the other looks to be human . . .

**_It can't be!_** Finca thinks in surprise as she realizes that the white dragon might be Tamli and the human is probably Tronay.

With that she extends her wings and takes to the air to get a better look. Using the clouds as cover, Finca drifts closer to the two and is stunned to discover that it is Tamli and Tronay.

**_So I was right_**, she thinks as she flies back to her original position on the cliff that she was siting at to watch the full moon.

A sudden pull on her mind catches the white dragoness off guard. Finca growls softly as she recalls what the pull is, a distant soul that found its way to her and now rests inside her mind, similar to what Makiar used to a snarl Finca takes to the air and goes off in search of food.

* * *

While Finca is off looking for food, Tamli and Tronay speak some more but a sudden heavy breeze catches Tamli's attention.

"What is it?" Tronay asks.

_The scent of another male is strong. I fear it could be Nira_, Tamli answers.

"It couldn't be him. Your just tired . . ."

_I am not!_ Tamli roars._ I know the scent of other dragons!_

Tronay quiets down and turns to walk away.

"I must be getting back to Roylzen and Neptune," she says before vanishing into the darkness of the night.

Tamli lowers his head and sighs. Finca . . . if only he could find her! If only he could just get a sense of where she is at! The male's scent increases and Tamli raises his head and growls.

_Show yourself! _He snarls into the night.

Harsh laughter bounds around him and Tamli looks around to try and see this approaching dragon.

_You foolish human . . . you thought that I would leave you alone if you were turned into a dragon . . ._

Tamli bristles at hearing these words.

_I haven't forgotten what your kind did to our home in Atlantis . . . your kind made it sink to the very bottom of the ocean!_

Tamli finds it hard to keep from roaring out in anger.

_Even now your darkness is emerging . . . see what your kind is doing? You use us to protect yourself from the dangers of the outside world but yet your kind cares little for us . . ._

Tamli snarls at these words and struggles to keep his anger in check.


	5. Light's Destruction

Finca returns from her hunt to find that Nira is slowly moving toward Tamli.

_**No!** _She thinks in panic as she leaps into the air and comes rushing toward the two.

She bares her teeth as she lands, her tail sweeping the dirt around her up into the air.

_Stay away from him Nira! _Finca roars out into the dark night.

Tamli is stunned to see his first Guardian alive.

_You . . . you're alive!_

_That's right_, she growls before snarling as the blackened form of Nira approaches._ You traitor to our kind!_

Nira chuckles at this as if it seems funny to him.

_I never betrayed our kind. It's the countless others that have betrayed their natural instincts!_ The black dragon snaps back.

_Liar!_ Finca snarls._ We chose to follow humans and they in turn trusted us not to harm them._

Nira snarls in anger and swipes a paw toward Finca.

_You speak lies. This is our destiny, we dragons shall rule all! _Nira roars in madness.

Tamli growls but finds himself quivering at this words. These words that are so true.

_The only one who speaks lies is you! _Finca snarls.

_Really? If that is the case then what are you? _Nira questions.

_What do you mean? _Finca asks.

_You turned your human partner into a dragon! _Nira snaps.

Finca stutters for a moment, wondering how to counter what Nira has said. Nira chuckles and seems to flick out his tongue into the air around them.

_Who has come to visit? _He asks. _Because the air tastes so delicious!_

Tamli snarls and narrows his purple eyes.

_That is none of your business! _He growls.

Nira growls and whips his head around to face Tamli.

_You want me to eat you? _He asks with a sharpness to his thought that neither of the two recognize at first.

Finally it hits Tamli. That voice seems to remind him faintly of Amia and Nor'ac. The blackened male hisses and with one swipe of his right paw, has Tamli down on the ground. Tamli closes his eyes and Finca can only stare in panic as Nira reveals his sharp, pointed teeth and lowers his head to just barely above Tamli's neck.

_The fools go first_, he hisses right before his teeth sink into Tamli's neck with uncanny speed.

_Tamli! _Finca finds herself screaming over and over again as the white male begins to trash around, withering in pain.

The scars on Tamli's neck, left by Finca's own bite, seem to flare up at the new injection of poison_. _He roars in pain, his fear of fire fully seeming to have taken hold of him.

_Make it stop! _He roars in pure fright as Finca's own wound on his neck begins to feel like it is burning.

Finca sinks to the ground, unable to withstand seeing Tamli like this. Nira's teeth continue to remain in Tamli's neck from quite some time. Finca begins to panic. Tamli has already been injected with Dragonic Venom before so what will happen now that he has been bitten twice? Finally Nira removes his teeth and walks off into the night, not caring if Finca comes after him or not.

_The pain! _Tamli screams. _Make the pain stop!_

Finca tries her best to hold back tears as she continues to watch Tamli suffering in pain.

_Do something! _Tamli roars as he opens his panic-stricken eyes and settles them on Finca.

_I . . . I can't_, she mutters softly.

Tamli cringes and struggles against letting another roar burst forth from his clenched jaws. Finca suddenly realizes what she can do. She just might be able to remove the venom from his system before it does any more harm. But with Tamli struggling and constantly moving, it could do even more harm to the male then before Nira injected him with the venom. But whatever she does, she has to make a decision now!

Tamli roars once more in fright before his head drops to the ground and he lays still. Finca stammers as she realizes the mistake she made in turning him into a dragon.

_**What have I done?** _She thinks in panic as she lays by Tamli's still frame.


	6. Shadowed Fate

**{Tamli-narrator}**

Death . . . it's nothing to celebrate. But as I lay here after the suffering has ended I realize that Finca made the right choice in turning me into a dragon. Without her, I wouldn't have made it. I wouldn't have lasted those three years. I could have killed myself instead of waiting for her but no I chose to wait and then die at the jaws of Nira.

Nira . . . the monster that drove my first Guardian to do what was necessary in order for me to live. I respected her decision and now I respect mine. I chose to stand up to the darkened, insane dragon and this is what happened because of that.

As I lay in my subconscious mind, merely drifting from consciousness to unconsciousness, it occurs to me what my Guardian must have feared would happen to me because of that one bite . . . that one drop of poison that turned me like one drop of poison that began all of this . . . that began my dragonic life.

The faint sound of a dragon reaches out to me. Its cries I can fully hear after a minute or two. It sounds like Finca! If that is true then I am not dead as I had originally thought. With the slightest touch of my mind I enter the female's mind and discover that it is Finca.

_You thought me dead?_ I ask inside her mind.

**_You . . . you survived?_** She replies quietly.

_Yes I did_, I answer sharply with a growl.

**_Sorry_**, she sighs.

_About what?_ I question, confused as to why she is sorry.

**_About turning you into a dragon_**, Finca replies.

I chuckle softly and Finca's sharp mental growl echoes across to me. Her words don't hurt me but that growl does. She growled at me like she had growled at Nira earlier.

I force my eyes open and find Finca at my side. Her teeth barely showing, good sign for me. A sign that she isn't mad at me for what I said earlier.

_You really want to kill yourself over me don't you?_ I ask softly as I flip over and get to my feet.

_Sorry about that, Finca replies as she quickly stands and backs up._

_It is fine_, I snort, my way of dropping our talk.

She turns just barely and I growl faintly. She sighs and turns back to me. Finca motions for me to follow and I agree. She leads me to a nearby pond and she allows me to look at my own reflection in the slowly warming water. Other than the faint pink reflecting from the rising sun I see nothing. Finca growls for me to look closer and so I do.

_I still see nothing_, I snort.

Finca sighs and closes her eyes. The next moment a wall of water rises out of the lake and forms a mirror for me to look into. My scales have turned to black, much like the darkest part of the night. My once purple eyes have lightened to a menacing shade of red. Nira's poison has turned me into an almost exact copy of him in all but the eyes.

I shutter and nearly collapse to the ground as I think of what he did to me last night. The pain he made me suffer.

_Tamli?_

Finca's soft echoing voice drifts over me and I turn my head to find her standing closer to me.

_You okay?_ She asks.

I say nothing as I get to my feet and walk off into the dense forest that surrounds the lake. Finca stumbles after me, her wings tight to her side.

Finca halts as soon as I halt, her claws making no noise on the dense forest floor. I breathe deeply and try my best not to let my temper get the better of me.

_I wasn't . . ._ Finca begins but a soft growl from me makes her hush.

_You wish that Nira had continued don't you? _I ask softly, trying to be as calm as I can.

Finca says nothing and I breathe another deep breath. The gentle rustling of leaves is the only sound that either of us here for a few minutes until I speak once more.

_You planned for me to freeze myself into that river for three years, correct?_ I question, although I can already tell the answer from Finca's quietness.

_Yes and no_, she replies softly.

_I realize that already_, I reply.

The rustle of leaves and the slow drifting of mist is the only thing that moves for some time. I sigh and close my red eyes, seeing as how Finca won't tell me anything else.

_You blame me?_

I open my eyes and turn quickly to face the white dragoness that stands now in front of me. The faint grey mist floats between us as I stare her down. She thinks I blame her for what has happened since yesterday.

_I care not if you caused what happened yesterday. I care only for what has happened between us_, I say.

Finca seems surprised by what I have said. My sudden statement that I'm sure has left her head spinning.

_You mean?_ She asks.

_I mean what I say, do not take this the wrong way. I was never meant to be a dragon. You were never meant to find me. My life was going fine until you came along and I was turned into a Dragon Rider. Of course that didn't stop you from turning me into a dragon just to fill your own self desires for a mate!_ I snarl fiercely, my reddened eyes turning almost black.

I sigh, trying not to snap out at Finca. All she did was turn me into a dragon, that much I do not blame her for.

_My life . . . _I pause collecting my thoughts and figuring out how to say this right._ My life was normal until that day. That day that fate bound the two of us together. Then everything went wrong. Our fight with Nira. You ripping Neptune's throat with your claws. My near death during the separation of Santerous and myself._

Finca says nothing as I stop. I happen to glance down at my claws to find that they glow black. I blink, this cannot be real! Could I have a new power due to Nira's bite on my neck?

_Tamli? _Finca asks, confused as to my quietness.

I raise my right clawed forepaw and then lower one claw to the forest floor. A stream of black energy launches from my claw and heads toward Finca . . .


	7. Darkened Fury: Destruction of Shadow

**{Tamli-narrator}**

Power, it is all in how you look at it. Once I was powerless but now I have a gift, a skill that others do not.I chuckle as Finca screams as the dark energy stream races through her body. She will now know the pain that I felt when Nira bit me! She will know my suffering!

Her screams mean little to me as she begs for me to stop. Why stop now? This isn't even a forth of the pain that I felt!

_Tamli!_ She roars out with all of her might._ Stop this right now!_

_And ruin my fun?_ I ask._ No, I don't think I will._

Finca roars once more and I suddenly feel a wave of emotions flow into me. While most of it is pain, I can detect some fear and some doubt. She doubts herself? I find that strange. No I cannot show pity to her.

She turned me into this . . .

* * *

Her fangs, wet with saliva as she prepares to do what she knows in her heart is right.

_Forgive me Tamli_, she mutters before bitting down on my neck.

The icy shock that runs through me. The instant pain, the growing of the white wings on my back. The fact that it feels like my back is being ripped in pain shifting to my rear end. The feeling of having a tail grown from one of the worse places imaginable.

The pain for the extension of my front legs was not quite as bad as imagined. The growing of the crest of spikes on my hairline was pure horror. To see my once coveted silver hair fall off the top of my head and release that it would never grow back was terror in itself. The growing of the horns wasn't as bad as the growing of my wings or tail. To feel the beginnings of the white scales that will eventually cover my whole body . . . to feel your own bones of the face break apart and then reshape into the bone structured face of a dragon.

Pure liquid fire is racing through my veins while my transformation is taking place.

* * *

Finca turned me into this and now she must pay! With a massive roar I leap toward her and pin her to the ground beneath my claws.

_Time to pay for what you have done to me! _I snarl as my claws curl and tear slightly at her neck.

She stares at me in blind horror as it must have just occurred to her that I have remembered my transformation into a dragon. She probably erased it from my mind until I recalled it earlier.

_I have done nothing_, she growls, her teeth bared as she tries to look intimidating.

I hiss and narrow my red eyes. Nira's poison did turn me into something else. It turned me into more of what my true personality is like. In a way I thank him for that. Finca growls and tries to snap at me but I merely force my claws to dig more deeper into the ground on either side of Finca's neck.

This is her result of turning me like is now her fate. Her destiny is written in stone and I will deliver the final blow to end it. I lean in close to her face and look for a moment into her yellow eyes that stare back at me with hatred.

_You despicable . . ._ She begins but a simple press to her neck with my claws hushes her.

I chuckle and pull back, readying myself for this. For my moment of truth. I open my jaws and allow my white hot breath to fall over her, trapping her in its powerful fiery inferno.


	8. Changing Flame

**{Tamli-narrator}**

I remember Finca's scream as I burn her alive. Her panicked features as she realizes what I am frantic pleas for me to stop and listen to reason. Her words meant nothing to me! She gave me this life!

She turned me into a monster! After I see that my job has been sufficient, I leave Finca and head off to hunt. I end up catching a plump buck to eat. I play with my catch, tossing it around like it is a rag doll. I am so much more powerful then anything else in this world now.

Who is there left to stand against me? Who will stand against now I suppose I should ask. A sudden rage passes over me. A first I cannot figure out what is causing it. Then I understand . . . My own anger that has been contained for so long now has the chance to break free and command me like it chooses to.

I howl in agony and take to the skies, hoping to find relief in the clouds that drift slowly along on this summer morning. What have I done to Finca! What might happen if Tronay or Santerous were to come right now and they end up seeing me like this? Great now I have to run from even my own family of sorts. You see I was adopted by Tundra and Aurora Nekita and as such I have no memory of who my birth parents were.

Of course I have no need to think about this right now.

_Tamli!_

The sharp telepathic voice of another dragon echoes out to me. It sounds like a female but I cannot recall which one has such a musical voice other then Finca.

_Tamli!_

The musical voice calls out my name again but yet I do not hear it. I feel a slowly fading away of my strength. I can't stay up in the air for much longer . . . I plummet from the sky and crash to the ground below. My strength is leaving me. Why is this? Have I been getting sick?

I don't think so. A loud roar of a dragon splits my thoughts and I turn my head toward the sound. I can barely keep my eyes open now but I try my best to see who it is that roared. Which male of our kind has found her? Which one has found Finca?

I knew it would only be a matter of time before another dragon found her.

_Tamli snap out of it! _

A sharp scratch across my right foreleg. I feel little pain from it. The dragon's roar sounds closer.

_I found her!_

_Good. Bring her back here_, the female's musical tone answers. _Peace Tamli. Your wounds are not deep._

Wounds? Since when was I injured? My vision is fading fast, I have to let this dragon know that I am holding on to whatever life I have left in me. I growl faintly. Too faint for a human to hear but for a dragon, the sound is just right.

The female nods, understanding my unspoken words.

_Sleep well my lord. Your time draws near for the most important moment of your life_, she hums before I succumb to my fleeing strength and close my eyes.


	9. Beginning of the End

**{Uria-narrator}**

The faint smell of burnt wood singes my nostrils as I walk among the remains of a desecrated human village. The black dragon that did this . . . that dragon is related to me. I was Tronay Netika's fire Guardian and her first as well. I stayed with her in Atlantis and now she betrayed me, betrayed who I was just to gain two dragons in my place. One, a light dragoness named Arasies, I get along fine with.

The other is an ice dragoness named Jamie. Her fierce will and need to protect Tronay like she is a five year old really annoys me. My owner is ten thousand plus years old! She doesn't need to be taken care of every moment of every hour! I snort and jump over a fallen building.

Nira did a real good amount of damage on this human village.

**_Stupid dark fire dragon_**, I grumble to myself.

I wish that Makiar was here with me now. She isn't though. She is with Tamli and Finca. The Guardian of Shadows condition worries me. She could die if she is left untreated.

I've never seen burns that bad on a dragon before. A sudden gust of wind catches my attention. A slightly smaller red dragon lands beside me, its golden eyes glistening in the late afternoon sun.

_Reath?_ I ask the red dragon, the son of my mate.

_I didn't see anything strange going on if that is what you are asking_, the red male replies, his voice sounding so much like Szar's.

Szar, the black male dragon with golden eyes that mated with Makiar before she and I became mates. I will never forget his name. He did give us Reath though and the dragon seems to have Makiar's temper, not like I mind which abilities are passed on to him.I myself have plans to mate with Makiar but our attempts so far have been useless. No offspring for us.

No future generations of fiery tempered fire dragons. Reath warming growl brushes against my scales as he seems to find something approaching us.

_Uria look!_

I growl and narrow my black eyes. I am finally free from the Orichalcos. It took me forever but now I am free.

_Which dragon is it? _I ask.

_It seems to be the Ice Guardian Jamie_, Reath replies.

Jamie? What is she doing here? She lands and turns her yellow panic-stricken eyes to me.

_The time is now_, she pants. _The age of upcoming darkness approaches._

Reath stares at her in disbelieve.

_This cannot be! The Dragonic Eclipse isn't supposed to come for another ten years or so! _I growl in panic.

_It comes tomorrow! _Jamie shrieks before she collapses to the ground below.


	10. Darkened Destruction

Chains . . . the sound of rustling chains. Tamli opens his eyes and looks around to find himself in a dungeon of some sort.

_**Great**_, he mutters to himself. _**Just great, I'm the one in danger now.**_

Beside him lays Finca. Tamli narrows his eyes at seeing the dragoness. She doesn't deserve to live not after what she has done! The faint hiss of another dragon echoes from across the room and Tamli turns slowly to see a familiar darkened form of a male dragon enter his view. Nira, that disgrace of a dragon, of a Guardian! Why does he deserve to be walking around anyway?

_I see you are awake_, the black dragon growls as his yellow eyes lock on to Tamli's form.

_I am_, Tamli answers, trying to keep himself calm.

Nira beacons Tamli to follow him out into a more larger part of the network of caves that is home to the black male dragon. Tamli follows, rather reluctantly. Nira stops at one of the biggest chambers, an area that is large enough to hold twelve full grown Guardian Dragons and maybe more. Nira turns around slowly and focuses his view on Tamli's face.

_Impressed? _The black dragon asks.

_No, not really_, Tamli replies, rather bored of just standing here talking.

Nira growls faintly under his breath and without warning springs toward Tamli . . .

* * *

Meanwhile, Tronay, Neptune, and Roylzen are enjoying a somewhat pleasant day. A sudden jolt of energy races through Tronay and she crumples to the ground, her right hand over her chest.

"What's wrong?" Neptune asks, using his voice for the first time in over ten thousand years.

Roylzen tries to escape from her father's grip but is unable to. The corners of her little mismatched eyes become moist, as if expecting her to cry. She holds back the tears as Neptune tries his best to speak with his wife but cannot seem to get any sort of reply out of her.

_Hertota! _He yells out to his Guardian with all his telepathic fury.

_What? Is Roylzen harmed? Are you hurt? _The worried red dragoness answers.

_No, it's not either of us. It's Tronay_, Neptune says.

_I am on my way_, Hertota growls as she breaks their connection.

While Neptune awaits Hertota's return from hunting, he ponders every possible thing that might have occurred to his wife.

**_What is so wrong that you refuse to answer me?_** He wonders as Tronay cringes in pain.


	11. Beginning of the Eclipse

Tamli barely manages to avoid getting torn to bits by Nira. He backs up, his breath coming in short, rapid gasps. Why did Nira just snap like that? Why suddenly lunge out at the only moving object in the room besides himself? The black dragon snarls softly and studies his target with great interest.

This dragon would make the perfect choice for the mate of Finca. Together they would create a super race of dragons. Dragons that don't obey anyone and take orders only from Nira himself. A faint growl rises from Tamli's chest and he struggles not to growl out in anger. His transformation into a dragon has left his mind open to others' influences.

Right now that influence is Nira. The cooled temperature of the cave makes Nira growl with excitement. The time is now! The Dragonic Eclipse begins in mere moments!

* * *

Meanwhile, Tronay awakes to find that neither Roylzen nor Neptune are in the room. She quickly gets up and puts on a pair of black pants and throws on a long sleeve black shirt. She buckles her sword's sheath to her pants with her usual black belt. The eclipse is starting, she has to get to Tamli. He's in danger, everyone is.

She slips out of the room and runs into the forest, hoping to get lucky with finding Nira's cave. Tronay halts as she finds the cave, her blue eyes dark and dreading what might be inside.

* * *

Nira hisses as he catches the scent of a human. Tronay Nekita, it's her. The smell of honey-lemon nearly overpowers the male but Nira keeps it together. With a quick smack of his paw, Tamli is hit upside the head and is throw into a rock formation farther in the cave, away from the room. Nira snarls as he awaits his guest, his eyes going to the hole in the top of the cave quite often now due to the moon just touching the outer rim of the sun.

* * *

The darkness of the inside of Nira's cave worries Tronay but she needs to find Tamli . . .

* * *

_The white form of his body lays farther away. Nira turns and sets his sight on her. He springs, his claws poised for her neck._

_

* * *

_

If that is to happen, then she could be walking into a trap. Tronay shakes off any fear and walks forward into the domain that is home to the black dragon.

_Welcome little one_, he hisses as she approaches, her hand going to her sword.

No matter the cost, this must be done. This must happen to protect Roylzen and Neptune and to protect her Guardians, both old and new.


	12. Hidden Truths and Dark Secrets

**{Tronay-narrator}**

Nira seems surprised as I walk in. I guess he wasn't planning on me to come.

"You seemed surprised," I say as I halt before him.

His yellow eyes flicker in a mix of pleasure and fury as I stare at him.

_I didn't expect you this soon_, Nira growls faintly, as if he is distracted by something else.

I've heard rumors of an eclipse coming soon but how soon is it? Nira turns his full attention to me, his yellow eyes gleaming with hatred. He hates our kind, the human race. Why I do not know but I can do little about it.

**_The time is right. The Dragonic Eclipse will begin in less then a minute_.**

Nira's thoughts reach across to me. Does he know that I can hear him or does he even care about that anymore? This 'Dragonic Eclipse' what is it? Is it the eclipse that is supposed to come soon? If so then this is bad.

Nira's hiss fills the room with an almost smoky haze. He looks once more to the ceiling before focusing totally on me.

_Do you know of this eclipse?_

He must have known that I heard his thoughts! If that is the case then why would he allow me to do that?

"I don't know of it," I answer, my hand sliding down to grip my sword should I need it.

_Ah, well listen up then because this eclipse is more special then just being a human event. This eclipse is said to either weaken a dragon or make them stronger_, Nira growls.

Is this why he keeping looking up at the sun through the hole in his cave? Nira's raspy hiss is the only sound for what seems like forever. Tamli's unconscious body lays several feet away. For a dragon that loves destruction, Nira is strangely quiet as he awaits this eclipse.

_It has begun_, the black dragon snarls and his eyes turn to me.

Suddenly the vision that I had is coming true. Nira snarls and leaps toward me, his claws outstretched. I step to the side and avoid his attack.

_Not bad for a human. Most can't dodge my frontal attack_, the dark dragon growls as I slide my sword out from its sheath at my waist.

I close my eyes and draw a breath. This is the time. Now I have my chance. To save Tamli and to save my family! I scream and slash my sword down the flank of Nira's right hip.

The black dragon snarls in pain and swipes a claw at me, trying to catch my skin. I've seen what his kind does around blood. They go into a frenzy and I won't allow that to happen to me! I draw back my sword and hold the point straight up in the air.

"Bring your worst Nira!" I shout before I close my eyes and focus my energy with that of my sword.

I can see all around me. Nira stands, waiting for me to make a move. The sun and moon are one, the eclipse has begun. I open my eyes as a foreign presence invades my mind. It's musical tone and feel is strangely familiar to me.

With a slight nudge from my mind I discover that this presence is Aurora. What is she contacting me for?

**_What do you want?_** I ask.

_Ah my child. I'm pleased you knew it was me now then I must hurry because my time is short. You are my last child as a human, Tronay Nekita. I was born as a dragon and then died. I was brought back as a human and then died right . . ._

**_Right after my birth_**, I finish.

_Correct, now this means that Ameria is your sister_, Aurora says.

**_How long have you known?_** I ask.

_For longer then you could think. I've wanted so much for you and once you gave birth to Roylzen I knew my time was coming to an end_, the blue dragoness hums.

**_But why now?_** I ask.

_Because of the eclipse. You are the only one of the four to be half dragon._

**_Four? Isn't there five of us? And what do you mean half dragon? _**I ask.

_You will find out about your first and second question. As to you being half dragon, I'm sure you can figure it out for yourself_, Aurora replies as her presence wains.

**_Don't go! There's so much I want to know!_** I scream.

Aurora chuckles and I can see a rough outline of her dragon body.

_I will leave the rest to you my child_, she hums as she breaths into my face.

A blast of icy cold air slams through me, finally breaking the borders of my mind and undoing the Orichalcos' magic. Memories come back to me. Memories of my childhood, of my first years, and my earliest memories of Uria and Dartz.

**_Aurora? _**

Nothing. Just my mind. Is she . . . did she give me her last wish? Was my memory being restored her final gift to me? Nira stares at me in pure hatred as I open my eyes.

_So your mother restored your memory, how nice! _He hisses with disgust.

"I don't care if you like it or not!" I snarl as I feel this overwhelming power rush through me.

Pain erupts from my back but I ignore it. I turn my eyes slightly to see blue wings that have grown from my back. Aurora is right, I am half dragon! Nira snarls and his limbs falter slightly. This eclipse?

Could it be weakening him? Could my new gift have strengthened me to the point that I am stronger then Nira? Nira snarls and I slide my sword back in its sheath. I won't be needing it now.

"You end is here Nira!" I shout as I launch myself forward and slam into the dark dragon.

Nira is thrown into a wall and he pants heavily. I am stronger then him. His strength is now what mine had been before I found out I am half dragon.

"Give up?" I ask.

_Never_, the black dragon snaps as he attempts to sink his fangs into my left shoulder.

I twist away and his head hits a large outcropping of rock. I spring away on light feet and stop once I have reached the hole at the top of the cave.

"You will never reek havoc on this land again!" I snarl as I lift up one hand and allow my aura to expand.

My sword flies from my sheath and slides right into my hand, my purple aura surrounding it like a shield. I grip my sword tightly and flap my new wings to get into the air. Once I'm in the air, I charge forward and stab my sword into Nira's chest. He roars and I remove it, only to begin to slash at his wings, his legs, anything I can get my sword across. He finally crumbles to the ground, breathing his last breathe.

I control myself and soon my fury is fading away. Then I spot a large green crystal laying on the other side of the room near Tamli. I land and walk over, carefully folding my wings tightly to my back. I place a hand on the crystal and suddenly jump back. This crystal just vibrated!

Just moved under my hand. Could a living creature be inside this thing? It shakes more and I remove my hand to reach for my sword. It shakes once more before shattering and revealing a large black dragon. Who could this be?

I turn my attention from the dragon to Tamli. I reach for some spot to grip him at when I surprisingly pick him up. He is a little heavy but it's not bad. I lay him next to the black dragon and press a hand against his black scales. Black doesn't suite him so I'm changing it.

When I finish, his scales are a gleaming pale white, his original dragon color. A sudden shift in the ground worries me. I turn my eyes to the opening of Nira's cave. It has been sealed shut by a rock. This place . . . it can't be coming down!

I look to the top of the cave and jump back when a few large rocks come down, sealing off my other exit. I won't die here and neither will Tamli! I get close to the two dragons and focus on my ability to control time.

_**Let this work**_, I think before I release the energy to trap us in a crystal made from time itself.

The last thing I see is the remaining part of Nira's cave collapse in on itself . . .


End file.
